A veritable feast of good live music this week with a whole host of great bands hitting the various stages of Glasgow. So many in fact that picking just a few seems silly, so instead here’s a wee digest of some of the highlights. The main event is probably CHVRCHES who play two nights at the O2 ABC on Thursday and Friday. One of the few buzz bands who deserve the hype, their debut album is pretty damn great. You can’t help but worry about their long term prospects when the hype is this intense but, when the band is this good, though they should be able to overcome it.
Speaking of buzz bands, the hyped band of yesteryear No Age hit stereo on Tuesday with their trademark brand of scrappy pop rock. Their latest album toned down the distortion in favour of a cleaner sound: a bold move but one which did a lot to expose their weaknesses as songwriters. Still, it was catchy enough and they’re a formidable live act. If you’re looking for that distortion you could do worse than Acid Mothers Temple. The space rockers will be bringing the noise to Nice ‘N’ Sleazy’s on Saturday.
For something completely different head on down to The Hydro to find Danny Elfman, who’ll be presenting his music to Tim Burton’s films. Worth it alone to hear his amazing Batman theme, and maybe the songs from A Nightmare Before Christmas, if that’s your thing. Expect to see a lot of aging goths clutching their copy of The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy close and praying for the day that Tim Burton makes another decent film. Edward Scissorhands was 23 years ago, guys. Also at The Hydro, The Proclaimers, now such bona fide musical royalty that they’ve got that most rarefied of things, a film based on a play based on their music. You’ve come a long way fellas (no obvious punchlines here!)
Or Stay In…
Ok I admit it, I straight up forgot about this feature for the past two weeks. I’m sure the outcry was deafening…
Pinkish Black - Razed to the Ground
The grimly named Pinkish Black (look it up) return with an album that goes in all sorts up unexpected directions. Last years eponymous debut hinted at what they could do, but this one goes all out with a bunch of songs which see them venturing out of the crowded experimental scene to come up with a completely unique, completely uncatagorisable sound. Equal parts punishing and anthemic.
Savages - Savages
I recommended these guys a few months back when they played Glasgow. Back then I said they were promising if unremarkable and placed them in a bracket with all the other post-punk revivalists. That was before the release of this eponymous debut album however, one of the very best releases of the year. Like CHVRCHES they’re a buzz band who for once deserve the hype.
Fuzz - Fuzz
A new project featuring the ever prolific Ty Segall. This time he takes to the drums for an accurately titled collection of fuzzy garage rock. It’s largely business as usual for Segall, though Charles Mootheart brings the rawk with his virtuoso riffage.
Full Listings
| Monday 7 October | |
| Paul Weller/Trembling Bells | Barrowlands | Sold Out | 7pm |
| The High Kings | Oran Mor | £15 | 7pm |
| Nadine Shah | King Tut’s | £7 | 8.30pm |
| Tuesday 8 October | |
| Jojo Mayer Drum Clinic | O2 ABC | £10 | 7pm |
| No Age | Stereo | £12 | 7.30pm |
| The Devil Wears Prada | King Tut’s | £12 | 8pm |
| Wednesday 9 October | |
| Rudimental | O2 ABC | £14 | 7pm |
| Lawson | O2 Academy | £19 | 7pm |
| Kacey Musgraves | Oran Mor | £16 | 7pm |
| Danny Elfman: Music from the Films of Tim Burton | The Hydro | £25 | 7.30pm |
| The Holydrug Couple | Broadcast | £5 | 8pm |
| Temples | King Tut’s | £9 | 8pm |
| Rollor/Young Phiadelphia/Mistake Peagent | Nice ‘N’ Sleazy | Free | 8pm |
| Thursday 10 October | |
| CHVRCHES | O2 ABC | £13 | 7pm |
| Kathryn Williams | Oran Mor | £18 | 7pm |
| The Mountain Goats/Alessi’s Ark | The Arches | £17.50 | 7pm |
| Catfish and the Bottlemen | Broadcast | £6 | 8pm |
| Madina Lake/Fearless Vampire Killers/The Super Happy Fun Club | King Tut’s | £15 | 8pm |
| Friday 11 October | |
| CHVRCHES | O2 ABC | £13 | 7pm |
| Harry and the Hendersons/Alex Hynes | Stereo | £11 | 7pm |
| Seth Lakeman | Oran Mor | £19.50 | 7pm |
| Glass Museums | Nice ‘N’ Sleazy | £5 | 7.30pm |
| A Sudden Burst of Colour/Animus/Burning the Dream/Colonies of God | 13th Note | £5 | 8pm |
| Spector | King Tut’s | £10 | 8.30pm |
| Saturday 12 October | |
| The Proclaimers | The Hydro | £30 | 7pm |
| MGMT | O2 ABC | £20 | 7pm |
| Rhiannon Giddens/Leyla McCalla | Oran Mor | £15 | 7pm |
| Ancient Ascendant/Exile the Traitor/Man Made Origins/Common Gods | Audio | £8 | 7pm |
| David Scott | The Glad Cafe | £8 | 7.30pm |
| Acid Mothers Temple/Skullwizard | Nice ‘N’ Sleazy | £10 | 7.30pm |
| The Dead Agenda | 13th Note | £5 | 8pm |
| Pins/Post War Glamour Girls/Sharptooth | Broadcast | £6 | 8pm |
| Letlive/Night Verses/The American Scene | King Tut’s | £10 | 8pm |
| Sunday 13 October | |
| Deep Purple | SECC | £35 | 6.30pm |
| Trapped in Kansas/Vasa | Mono | £5 | 7pm |
| Ahab/Stephanie Manns/Kat Healy | Nice ‘N’ Sleazy | £7 | 7.30pm |
| Tunng/Pinkunoizu | Broadcast | £12 | 8pm |
Remember to connect with us on Twitter or Facebook if you’re getting out to anything this week, or be sure to let us know about any absolute must-sees which we happen to have missed.
